• 14
  • June
    2011

Owners of property are responsible for ensuring that their premises are safe. If dangerous conditions exist and someone is injured as a result, then the owner of the property can be held responsible for the damages incurred.

Dangerous conditions, such as cracked and broken sidewalks, place unsuspecting pedestrians at risk of serious injury. If the owner of the property knew or should have known of the hazard but failed to correct the situation, then they can be held responsible for claims for personal injuries sustained as a result of the hazardous conditions.

The Louisiana vice chairwoman of the Lafayette Parish Democratic Executive Committee and a community organizer, has filed a lawsuit after the suffered a hand injury. The accident occurred in March of this year when she was leaving a late-night school board meeting. As a result of poor lighting and a 4 to 6 inch deviation in front of the building, she fell and severely injured her hand.

The injury is to the woman's thumb. She says her thumb still bothers her and swells up. As she is required to do a lot of typing during the course of her employment, she says that she is unable to perform her responsibilities for her job.

She claims that her past, present and future injuries include a loss of income and the loss of enjoyment of life. She is suing for:

  • Damages for personal injury
  • Lost wages
  • Past, present and future medical expenses
  • Other costs
  • Attorney fees

Owners of buildings must maintain their premises, including the sidewalks surrounding their buildings, so that injuries such as this one can be prevented. Although, the school system denies any wrongdoing or liability with respect to this woman's injury, hopefully, they have corrected the cracked sidewalk and poor lighting so that no one else is injured in the future.

Source: theadvertiser.com, "Malbreaux is filing suit for a personal injury to her hand," Tina Marie Macias, 8 June 2011